Researchers might have solved the mystery surrounding the sudden extinction of one of Australia's pre-historic bird known as the Genyornis. The Genyornis is a lot larger than modern birds standing at an impressive 7 feet and weighing almost 500 pounds.
Gifford Miller, a professor from University of Colorado Geological Sciences department, researched about the species and found out that humans may have caused its extinction. According to Miller, almost 50,000 years ago the first people who set foot in Australia encountered the pre-historic animals and subsequently decided to consume Genyornis' eggs. However, up until now researchers are still unsure what happened with the adult Genyornis.
"We consider this the first and only secure evidence that humans were directly preying on now-extinct Australian megafauna, we have documented these characteristically burned Genyornis eggshells at more than 200 sites across the continent" explained Miller.
The scientists has since presented evidence supporting his claims. According to Miller, the manner in which the shells decomposed is a tell-tale sign of a localized heat source akin to cooking.
" Such a gradient could only be produced by a localized heat source, likely an ember, and not from the sustained high heat produced regularly by wildfires on the continent both in the distant past and today" gushed Miller.
The researchers first thought that the egg shells' burn marks was caused by a wild fire. However, because of how distinct the marks were they argued that it is a burn caused by grilling.
Miller together with his group of researchers not only unraveled the mystery of Genyornis disappearance but also somewhat proved that people have encountered pre-historic animals that are closely linked with dinosaurs.
"The lack of clear evidence regarding human predation on the Australia megafauna had, until now, been used to suggest no human-megafauna interactions occurred, despite evidence that most of the giant animals still roamed Australia when humans colonized the continent."
